TheGeneral Legislative Council, also known as theNew Zealand Legislative Council, was established in 1841 when New Zealand was created as aCrown colony separate fromNew South Wales. The Legislative Council consisted of thegovernor, thecolonial secretary, thecolonial treasurer, and seniorjustices of the peace; all members were appointed. From 1848, there were additional provincial Legislative Councils forNew Ulster andNew Munster. The general Legislative Council had twelve sessions; the first ten were held inAuckland and the last two inWellington. In May 1852, an act provided for two thirds of the membership of the provincial Legislative Councils to be elected. Elections for the New Ulster Province had already been held when news was received that theNew Zealand Constitution Act 1852 had been passed by theParliament of the United Kingdom. No meeting of the elected members was ever called. The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 disestablished the Legislative Council when writs for thefirst election of members of theNew Zealand House of Representatives were returned. The initial legislative councils ceased to exist in September 1853.^[1]

The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 created abicameral general assembly consisting of the governor, aLegislative Council and aHouse of Representatives, anexecutive council (nominally appointed by the governor), and theProvinces of New Zealand (New Zealand was divided into six provinces).^[2]

The New Zealand Legislative Council was formed in 1841 by governorWilliam Hobson. TheCharter for Erecting the Colony of New Zealand took effect from 3 May 1841; at that time thecapital of New Zealand had just shifted fromOkiato (Old Russell) to Auckland. The first session of the New Zealand Legislative Council was held in Auckland from 24 May to 10 July 1841. The initial members were Hobson as governor,Willoughby Shortland as colonial secretary, Francis Fisher asattorney-general,George Cooper as colonial treasurer, and a number of JPs:William Wakefield,William Cornwallis Symonds,James Reddy Clendon,Edmund Halswell, and George Butler Earp.^[3]

James Coates was clerk to the general Legislative Council during the entire time of its existence.^[4]

The general Legislative Council sat for twelve sessions, with the third session split across two periods.^[4] The sessions in Wellington were held in a room in the court house:^[5]

The general Legislative Council had 41 members during its existence. Where membership was due to holding an office, this is identified in the table below. Members were entitled to the honorific prefix "Honourable". The last session of the council was adjourned in January 1853, and those who were present at this session, or not present but still held membership, are identified accordingly. There was no public announcement of the general Legislative Council having ceased to exist, but based on the New Zealand Constitution Acts and the date of writs received, it is likely that membership terminated on 28 September 1853.^[6]

Henry Tancred andWilliam Deans were both invited in 1851 to represent Canterbury, but both declined.^[7]

Table footnotes

(1) member present during the twelfth session
(2) member not present during the twelfth session

Citations

Works cited

• Wilson, Jim (1985) [First published in 1913].New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer.OCLC 154283103.

• Politics of New Zealand
• Constitution of New Zealand
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